Avoid breakdown horrors: UK's most reliable cars

Vijay Pattni rounds up the top ten most reliable used cars – for sale on Auto Trader today.

Honda Accord

This is the Japanese carmaker’s answer to the BMW 3 Series – and what better way to celebrate its success than by topping the Reliability Index?

The Honda Accord is a superbly engineered machine which combines an involving drive with discreet looks and impeccable finish – both inside and out. It tops the Reliability Index and has a rating of 37.72 (the average is 112 – the higher the more reliable the car), and the average cost of a repair should it ever break down is £221.20.

And you can bag the UK’s most reliable car for around £8,000 – we found this 2005 Honda Accord 2-litre VTEC Sport which comes with 32,000 miles on the clock for £8,295.

Subaru Forester

Crossover SUVs are all the rage, such as the new BMW X6, the Nissan Qashqai and the Volkswagen Tiguan, and you can bag yourself one of the very first – and most reliable: the Subaru Forester.

It shares its chassis with the hardcore Subaru Impreza and comes equipped with permanent four-wheel-drive, meaning the Forester is comfortable loading up the weekly shop, or loading up the outdoor gear and going off-road.

The Subaru Forester has a Reliability Index rating of 52.61, and the average cost of repair is £488.67.

You can pick up a 2005 Subaru Forester with just 36,000 miles on the clock for £7,995.

Mazda MX-5

The Mazda MX-5 is one of the best handling sportscars in the world, and has won over 100 awards for its outstanding driving ability – simply put, no other car offers everyday performance guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

And as the third most reliable car in the country, the Mazda MX-5 should be as hassle-free as its handling – it scored 16.55 on the Reliability Index with an average repair bill of £235.01.

A new-model 2006 Mazda MX-5 with 28,000 miles on the clock and a full service history will set you back £10,995.

Mitsubishi Carisma

Built on the same chassis as the Volvo S40, the Mitsubishi Carisma is a large family car which is bullet-proof – it scored 42.50 on the reliability index.

Should the big Carisma ever break down, the average repair cost according to the Reliability Index is £359.21.

And how’s this for a trump card? You can buy a 2003 Mitsubishi Carisma – with just 13,000 miles on the clock – for less than £5,000.

Toyota Yaris

Treat it with respect – this car is seriously well-built.

The Toyota Yaris scored 7.94 on the Reliability Index, with the average repair costing just £80.02.

And with a decent, comfortable ride and bags of interior space, the Toyota Yaris should be an excellent buy.

We found this 2007 Toyota Yaris 1-litre with 7,500 miles on the clock for just £6,250.

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is known the world over as a sensible hatchback which will last for ever – with a range of guises including the high-revving 2-litre Honda Civic Type-R.

The Honda Civic scored 32.14 on the Reliability Index and if it ever breaks down, you can expect the average bill to cost £208.60.

You can pick up this futuristic 2007 Honda Civic Type-S three door hatchback for £11,499, with less than 10,000 miles on the clock.

Nissan Almera

The Nissan Almera is the descendant of the popular Nissan Sunny and boasts outstanding build quality – it scored a startling 2.9 on the Reliability Index with an average repair cost of just £49.24.

And you can bag this spacious, reliable and competent all-rounder for less than £5,000 – we found a 2005 Nissan Almera 1.5 with 24,000 miles on the clock for just £4,490.

Honda CR-V

Equipped with full-time four-wheel-drive and with a lower centre of gravity, the Honda CR-V rides more like a large saloon than a cumbersome 4x4 – and the off-roader can return a very respectable 43.5mpg for the diesel model.

It scored 22.16 on the Reliability Index and the average cost of repair for the Honda CR-V is £254.58.

We found this 2007 Honda CR-V 2-litre VTEC with 5,600 miles on the clock for £13,995.

Toyota RAV4

Another compact SUV from Japan, the Toyota RAV4 is one of the most established baby off-roaders in the market and kickstarted the phenomenon.

The ‘4x4 GTi’ is a bona-fide performance SUV – take it round a bend and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’re in a sports saloon.

Throw in excellent practicality, a good range of engines and its 31.57 Reliability Index score, and you have a great all-rounder.

We found this 2007 Toyota RAV4 2-litre with less than 2,000 miles on the clock for £14,995.

Nissan Micra

The Nissan Micra is one of the best superminis available – it has cute, bubblegum styling, a range of frugal engines – including the 1.5-litre diesel – and a lively ride.

And it scored 33.57 on the Reliability Index, and should the Micra ever break down, it will cost – on average - £222.70 to repair.

New prices for the Nissan Micra start at just £7,495 – but you can pick a used Micra for £5,299 with just 7,000 miles on the clock.

Note: The Reliability Index is based on data available to Warranty Direct.